Inside Iowa State for faculty and staff
May 2, 2024
Inside news
Iowa State University supports the First Amendment rights of students, faculty, staff and members of the community to peacefully protest on campus. Groups organizing a demonstration are encouraged to work with the Demonstration Safety Team to plan a safe event.

It was all hands on deck Friday morning to assemble and mail financial aid award letters to about 16,000 admitted first-year students. Delays at the federal level pushed back this big mailing nearly three months this spring.

Veteran ombuds Laura Smythe spells out the confidential, independent, non-judgmental aspects of Iowa State's ombuds service. Her biggest task? Listening.

In addition to an update on the Regent Admission Index, at its April 25 meeting the state Board of Regents received FY25 salary policy comments and campus responses to its 10 diversity directives. The board also approved two new ISU degree programs for fall, parking and student housing rates and a proposal to expand the large animal wing at the Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center.

A section of Morrill Road adjacent to LeBaron Hall will close at the end of June for the duration of the building replacement project. Two-way traffic will be allowed south of the closure. CyRide's campus circulator (orange) buses will be rerouted to Bissell Road starting May 13.

Capstone projects that tackle a campus need let participants in the annual Emerging Leaders Academy practice what they're learning. Here's a quick look at what this year's class members accomplished.
Announcements
The following announcements were added this week:
  • Summer workshop will help you improve your online or hybrid course
  • Design Reading Room collections will move to Parks Library
  • Submit online feedback for provost candidates by end-of-day May 2
  • Exterior projects at the Farm House museum scheduled for May
  • Spring Art Mart runs May 7-10
  • You're invited: Central Stores appreciation lunch
  • Bookstore hosts Star Wars-themed story time May 4
  • Pre-order ISU wall calendars for your unit
  • Faculty, staff 'Inspiration Award' reception is May 17
  • Call for nominations for 2024 Ivy Women in Business Awards
  • Reception for provost Jonathan Wickert is May 6
Around campus
The Bell Seal, from the nonprofit Mental Health America, is a first-of-its-kind workplace certification to recognize employers striving to create mentally healthy workplaces for their employees. Iowa State received certification at the highest level, platinum.

For businesses to grow, a community must recruit and retain residents -- which requires housing. Rock Valley collaborated with ISU Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Economic Development Authority to assess the city's housing needs, and as a result is experiencing an estimated $8.35 million investment in housing construction.

Agricultural and biosystems engineering professor Steven Freeman shares roadway safety tips for drivers and farmers as planting season gets underway. 

Biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology Distinguished Professor Reuben Peters and two students identified two genes that help rice defend itself against diseases. Their discovery offers new tools to rice breeders. 
Retirements and receptions
Employees, their colleagues or supervisors are invited to submit retirements and departures to inside@iastate.edu. Inside doesn't receive this information from a central source.

Next week
  • Retirement, Lisa Fontaine, graphic design, May 5 (5-8 p.m., Alluvial Brewing Co., 3715 W. 190th St.)
  • Reception, Jonathan Wickert, office of the senior vice president and provost, May 6 (3:30-5:30 p.m., program at 4 p.m., first floor atrium, Beardshear Hall), RSVPs appreciated
  • Retirement, Carmen Fuchs, Iowa Space Grant Consortium, May 7 (3-4:30 p.m., 1235 Howe), post well wishes to Fuchs' Kudoboard
  • Retirement, Jim Nespor, physical therapy, Thielen Student Health, May 7 (3-5 p.m., Patterson Library, second floor of Thielen Student Health Center)
  • Retirement, Kim Hasstedt, parking ramp and information desk, Memorial Union, May 8 (1-3 p.m., remarks at 1:30 p.m., Campanile Room, MU)
  • Open house, Central Stores appreciation event for faculty and staff, May 9 (11 a.m.-2 p.m., lot 47 east of General Services Building)
  • Retirement, Carolyn Cutrona, psychology, May 10 (4-6 p.m., program at 4:30 p.m., MU Campanile Room), post well wishes to Cutrona's Kudoboard

Upcoming
  • Retirement, Mike Anderson, agricultural and biosystems engineering, May 15 (no public event)
  • Retirement, Jane Dawson, geological and atmospheric sciences, May 15 (no public event), post well wishes to Dawson's Kudoboard
  • Retirement, Bill Gutowski, geological and atmospheric sciences, May 15 (no public event), post well wishes to Gutowski's Kudoboard
  • Retirement, Neal Iverson, geological and atmospheric sciences, May 15 (no public event), post well wishes to Iverson's Kudoboard
  • Retirement, Paul Spry, geological and atmospheric sciences, May 15 (no public event), post well wishes to Spry's Kudoboard
  • Retirement, Tammy Blakely, student services, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, May 23 (2-4 p.m., 102 Catt)
Arts and events
Enjoy two outdoor carillon concerts
The final weekday carillon concert of the semester (11:50 a.m., Friday, May 3) will feature carillon students Carolyn Riedel, Austin Shane, Tanner Smith and Rebekah Veldboom. Their program is online. Veldboom will present her senior recital at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 4. Both events are outdoors on the Stanton Memorial Carillon and livestreamed.

The Cyclone softball team hosts Big 12 Conference newcomer Central Florida in its final homestand of the season, a three-game series May 3-5 at the Cyclone Sports Complex. First pitch is at 4 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Saturday and noon on Sunday. Admission is free.

Several Iowa State experts will be guests during public radio's "Science Friday" live show on Saturday, May 4 (6 p.m., doors open at 5 p.m., Stephens Auditorium). They'll discuss climate-hardy grapes, nanoparticle-based vaccines, rare earth elements and more. Tickets ($20 plus fees) are still available.

Learn more about university museums' Fountain of the Four Seasons sculpture conservation project on Sunday, May 5 (noon-1 p.m., meet at the Memorial Union north entrance). Guest curator Jerome Thompson will talk about the agricultural influences on the sculpture's design.
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Inside Update is published Thursday mornings by Strategic Relations and Communications. Questions may be directed to 515-294-7065.